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For most of my cooking years, I’ve made green beans pretty sparingly, but always cooked them the same way — steamed and then topped off with a pat of butter and a squeeze of lemon. But about a year ago, my daughter suddenly decided that she absolutely loved green beans and since I definitely want to encourage any enthusiasm about a vegetable, we’ve been eating them a lot more often and in a lot of new ways. One of my favorite ways is like this — where they’re slowly simmered in bacon and onion and broth until they’re transformed into a tender and savory treat.
What Do You Need To Make Southern-Style Green Beans?
Not a lot! It’s a reasonably simple side. You’ll need:
- Bacon. Thick sliced, please.
- Yellow onion.
- Garlic.
- Red pepper flake.
- Green beans, about two pounds, that you’ll want to trim and then chop in half.
- Chicken broth.
- Butter.
How Do You Make Southern-Style Green Beans?
You’re going to start with the bacon, which then flavors everything that comes after it. First, chop your bacon and cook it until it’s nice and crispy, then remove it from the pot and set it aside, but leave the fat in the pot. The onions, garlic, and red pepper flake cook in that fat until they’re fragrant and the onions are soft…
… and then the green beans join the party. You’ll want to add about two cups of broth and let it simmer for a good long while, 45 minutes to an hour, until the green beans are wonderfully tender.
At that point, finish it off with butter, add the bacon back in, and adjust the seasoning with some salt and pepper. (I like a lot of pepper here.)
These make a great side for so many meals, whether it’s a simple weeknight dinner or a holiday spread. They take some time to make, but the majority of the time is hands off, and the end result is so worth it!
Southern-Style Green Beans
Yield(s): Serves 6
10m prep time
1h cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick bacon, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake
- 2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and chopped in half
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- In a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside, but do not clean out pot.
- Add onion to pot and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flake and cook until fragrant, just about 1 minute.
- Add green beans, chicken broth, and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer until green beans are very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Check liquid level occasionally and add more broth if needed.
- Add butter and bacon to the pot and stir to combine until butter has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Southern Living.